228 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



I have worked for a long time among the same rocks in Western 

 Vermont, and though I did not profess to have arrived at definite 

 conclusions there respecting the time, age and position of the 

 strata, I found it much easier to be satisfied with my explorations. 

 Evidences of disturbance are much more prominent among the 

 limestones of Penobscot Bay, and they are far more abundant. 

 We had the maps of the Vermont rocks given us by our predeces- 

 sors to correct, and the writings of eminent geologists to place 

 distinctly before us the salient points to be examined. But here 

 the field is a new one. None who have gone before us in Thomas- 

 ton ever attempted a section of the strata, or described the rocks 

 with any precision. We had, however, a poor section of the 

 Camden rocks, which was of a little value to us. 



For two reasons we undertook the exploration of this region ; 

 first, we wished to explore some limited portion of the State more 

 carefully than ordinarily, that the authorities and citizens might 

 know by the inspection of its results, how we wish to examine and 

 describe the rocks of every portion of the State in a Final Keport ; 

 second, wo wished to "take the bull by its horns," as it were — 

 that is, to grapple with one of the most difficult and at the same 

 time interesting geological problems to be solved in Maine. To a 

 large proportion of scientific men the description of the Taconic 

 rocks will be the most interesting part of the Report. 



Like the discussion of certain important theological doctrines, 

 the discussion of the age of the Taconic rocks of North America 

 bids fair to be continued from one generation to another. Those 

 who first debated the question are now well advanced in life, while 

 the discussion is mainly carri-ed on by those who were either 

 too young to appreciate it in 184D, or have but recently taken up 

 the subject. The rocks of similar apppearance, and nearly the 

 same age in England, the Cambrian strata, have excited the atten- 

 tion of their geologists for thirty years ; and the history of the dis- 

 cussion shows that the question of their age and position has 

 apparently been decided several times ; but they are not yet all of 

 them agreed as to their nomenclature. We anticipate a longer pe- 

 riod of discussion upon this subject in America than in England. We 

 cannot see that the debate has yet more than fairly commenced 

 among us. 



It is unnecessary for us to go into a detailed history of the Ta- 

 conic controversy, for it has already been given, so far as is need- 



